Slater’s Ales took home the Gold for 1 Hop in the ‘Bottle Can Session IPA up to 4.3%’ catagory at the SIBA National Independent Beer Awards, which took place at BeerX in Liverpool last week.

They also picked up bronze awards for Premium (Bottle Can British Beer up to 4.4% catagory) and Haka in the Bottle/Can Premium Pas 4.4% to 5.4% category.

“Judges had a tough job separating the pack as the standard was extremely high once again. The winners from the SIBA competition are officially the best independent craft beers in the UK, something brewers should be extremely proud of.” Ian Fozard, SIBA Chairman.

The SIBA National Independent Beer Awards judged a huge range of beers across a number of styles in separate cask, keg and bottle & can competitions. As the awards are judged mostly by brewers, industry experts and beer journalists the SIBA Independent Beer Awards are very much seen as the prestigious ‘Brewers’ choice Awards’ by the industry.

The chosen beer that was nominated was the four per cent 1Hop – a very light blonde beer brewed with a single hop and brewed with all English Ingredients.

Mr Lefroy said: “It is fantastic to see Stafford's only brewery, Slater’s Ales, represented at Strangers' Bar through their award winning 1Hop.

"A wonderful light beer that really showcases this excellent family run business.”

Vicki Slater, director of the company, said the ale chosen is the company's biggest selling beer.

She said: "Each MP can nominate a brewery from their constituency to put a beer forward and we have quite a good relationship with Jeremy Lefroy and he asked me whether we'd be happy for him to put forward our beer and obviously we said yes.

"1Hop is the beer that was chosen as it's our biggest selling beer and it's only four per cent so it's an easy drink.

"It's brilliant to see a picture of it at the Houses of Parliament, we love it when our beer gets out of the brewery and to see it in such an iconic place is a great honour for us and showcases the beer of Staffordshire."

Top Totty was first brewed in 1998 as a one-off summer special. However, due to its popularity and feedback from drinkers we decided to make it a permanent ale and over the intervening years it has become our biggest selling ale and has won multiple awards making it Slater’s ales most successful ale.

The original pump clip of a bunny girl was designed to be humorous and never intended to offend anyone, but following feedback and with the change in times since the origin clip was designed, the decision was made in 2014 to remove the bunny girl from the pump clip as we acknowledged that this wasn’t appropriate for the beer market and modern society.

This was received differently from drinkers with some considering it a step too far, some thinking it was the correct decision and others saying we had not gone far enough. However, as a business we felt it was the right thing to do.

During the following 4 years we have argued within ourselves about what is the correct thing to do with Top Totty bearing in mind it’s popularity with drinkers and feedback received from detractors. As a result of focus groups that we have held the decision has been made to completely rebrand the beer to ensure as a brewery we are doing all we can to ensure all customers are happy drinking our award-winning ales.

We fully accept that this is a decision that for some has been a long time coming and we hope that our long-standing drinkers of Top Totty will understand the reasons for this change.

As of 1st October 2018, Top Totty will change its name to 1Hop. This name has been chosen as it reflects the breweries willingness to showcase the single hopped ale as it is brewed solely with English WGV hops.

We want to reassure all of our customers that we are only rebranding the beer and the recipe for the award-winning beer that you love remains unchanged.